AU Blogspot

Special thanks to scui3asteveo for permission to use this photo.

Colleges are looking for students with a well rounded personality. Yes, academics is the most important factor. But there are other factors too. Basically, colleges are looking at the following areas:

• Academics: Students should have completed at least sixteen academic units. Selective colleges prefer students who have challenged themselves with upper level courses including Honors and AP courses.
• Admission Tests: Students should take the SAT I or/and ACT tests. These scores help to compare students at the national level. Many a time, this becomes the deciding factor in gaining admission.
• Extra curricular Activities: Students should pursue their passion and focus on a couple of activities. This could be in arts or sports or both.
• Community Service: Students should have served the community for at least hundred hours. Many organizations like YMCA, Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, old age homes and hospitals offer opportunities for volunteer service.
• Leadership: Students should have demonstrated leadership at a club or organization in school or outside school.
• Recommendations: Colleges would like to know the students’ special talents and personality traits indicated in the recommendation letters given by the teachers and the counselors.

Students should use the entire high school period to prepare for college. The golden rule is to study well and play well. Colleges want students who are well equipped to face the academic rigor and also contribute to the college community.

Hema Srinath
Academic Coordinator
Ashworth University

When I received my first textbook in the mail, the first thing I did was go out and buy a planning book. I then scanned though my textbook and lessons to see about how much work was required of me and I just divided it up into smaller sections so that it wouldn’t be very overwhelming.

I just take my time and get things done when I have enough energy in me to do so. That’s the great thing about this place; you pretty much have all the time you need to complete assignments. You just have to find your pace and stick to it. It’s hard at the beginning, but once you get the momentum going it gets easier.

Shirley
Computer Information Management Student
Ashworth University

              Thanks to Toho Scope for permission to use this Photo. 

Today, make the choice to focus on your strengths. It is easy to look at oneself and see areas where you may need improvement. While it’s true that taking time for honest reflection on the areas where we’d like to see improvement is important — it’s equally  important to give yourself your due credit for all the wonderful talents you’ve already acquired — all the bits and pieces that go into making you the incredible person you are. 

Please understand that I’m not suggesting we live in “la la land”, acting as though there’s no area for improvement. Of course there are areas we can all improve in — that’s what personal growth is all about.Instead, what I am suggesting is that you and I spend at least as much time accepting and being thankful for all the positive traits we have acquired already — not just those areas we believe we need to improve. It’s all about balance. Seek ongoing to improve where you can, but be sure to celebrate all that makes up the amazing you as well!

Think about it like this — if you want to help someone improve, and in the process not have them take it as a personal attack — one way to approach the task would be to compliment them on something they are doing particularly well — acknowledging and pointing out one of their strengths (making sure it’s a genuine and sincere compliment of course) — and then bringing up ideas which might be helpful in improving in a given area. Along the same lines, give yourself the same positive boost by acknowledging the “good” things you’re doing, right along side areas that you’ve identified where improvement is needed. (more…)

Dear Student:

Opportunity offers you a chance to improve your life through the avenue of education.  It is for this reason I want to earn my masters degree.  Like some of you, I will be the first member of my large family to earn my post-bachelor degree.  Success comes with great rewards for those who keep their eyes on the prize of blessings. 

[Photo taken at the first Ashworth University graduation ceremony]

Happiness, wealth, and success are by-products of goal setting, they cannot be the goal themselves.” - Denis Waitle

Sincerely,
Fellow Student

Marcus Johnson
Academic Coordinator
Ashworth University

          Thanks to Photon John for permission to use this Photo.

Adult learners enroll in college and universities for many reasons. The most common reason is to obtain a credential to assist them in attaining occupational goals. The second most common reason is simply to enhance self respect.

Probably the least likely reason for enrollment is to learn something new. Because of the most likely motivation of the students, learning is incidental to the achievement of the occupational goal or the feeling of personal satisfaction. While the more common goals of occupational advancement and simple self respect are valid and important, the resulting incidental learning is the most valuable since it also helps in attaining the other goals. My experience has been an example of this concept of incidental learning.

Since I had many years of experience in criminal justice and since I taught criminal justice classes at a large traditional university, I felt I needed to earn a graduate degree to keep up with my peers. I enrolled at Ashworth with the intention of obtaining a masters degree as a credential. Ashworth seemed to be a logical choice for graduate school since the learning was asynchronous and did not require cohort participation. I wanted to proceed at my own pace while attending to work and family requirements. Both the price and the fact that the university (then a college) was nationally accredited were pluses.

I was not as concerned with the curriculum, but more with the time it would take me to finish the degree. I was concerned more with obtaining the credential than with learning anything new. After receiving the orientation course I realized that both effort and discipline would be required to complete this program. Since I am just an average computer user and also since I am not of the “computer generation”, the orientation course was a challenge. The curriculum and supporting materials were clearly written and concise. After completing the course, I realized that I had gained a new set of skills which were not only beneficial in the graduate program but which also were valuable in my work. I was now prepared to conduct internet based research and I could effectively use Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. My attitude started to change and I began to understand the concept of learning rather than merely seeking a degree.

After examining first academic course materials I realized the text and supporting material were from the same publishers of the texts I used in teaching college classes. After submitting my first written assignments and receiving feedback from the graders, I began to understand the academic rigor of the course. While the graders were very polite in their comments and were supportive, they did point out areas in which I could improve my work. After finishing the assignments I took the exam with some trepidation. After passing the exam on the first try I felt both relieved and empowered to continue with the next course. As I progressed through the curriculum, my writing and research skills began to improve. (more…)

Starting out another year of reading, I chose a book I have owned not too long, given to me by my friend Eric when it came out a few months ago.  Never Give Up is the autobiography of New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi.  Written with Boston Globe sportswriter Michael Holley, it tells the story of his life, focusing mostly on the stroke he suffered in 2005, weeks after the team won its third Super Bowl.

Bruschi’s story made national news, both the stroke itself and his return later that year to the team.  This story tells his side, “the inside” I would all the “real” side of what he encountered within the year of his stroke.  The background of his life story lays the foundation for his path through this episode of his life.

My greatest takeaway from Never Give Up is you will never truly know what is going on in “the inside.” I call “the inside” the private interactions of one or more people, including business partners or a couple married or in a committed relationship.  Whatever you or I may see or experience from someone, it is on “the outside.” This is not saying what see of people on “the outside” is not genuine.  It may well be, but it may not be as well.  What happens on “the inside” is just for those there.  We can all probably think of a case where we didn’t consider there was an “inside” or everything was or was not ok.  Friends going through a divorce and my own move from Boston to Chicago come to mind as negative and positive “inside” events respectively.  In the case of Bruschi dealing with his stroke and recovery, this book gives high-level insight with details of people and experiences.

Another takeaway is we must keep in mind we may never know the true “inside” when we react on the “outside.” Have you ever wondered why we didn’t get some business or haven’t heard from someone?  I know myself I tend to think the worst – it may not be that I am not good enough, rather it could be the project was cancelled or the client wasn’t in a hurry to tell anyone. (more…)

          Thanks to Axel Tregoning for permission to use this Photo. 

Josh Hinds is the author of Why Perfect Timing is a Myth: Tips for Staying Inspired and Motivated Day in and Day out! and also a great friend of the Ashworth Blogspot community.  One thing that’s great about working with Josh is that he truly believes in helping others reach their potential.  He’s been consistently willing to sharing his insights with our student community since the AU Blogspot was first launched.  I mention this because sometimes people have cynical perspectives on so-called motivational gurus.  Well, I can assure you that Josh would never classify himself in those terms and his track record of inspiring people speaks for itself.  The following podcast is rather brief, but contains a very powerful message about “leaving your mark” in life.  If you find yourself inspired by Josh, don’t hesitate to stop by his terrific blog, Get Motivation, and show your appreciation.  We’d also love to hear from you in the comments section of this post.  Click here to listen.  Have a great day! 

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University   

               Thanks to fliegender for permission to use this Photo.

A study out of the University of California, Berkeley supports the notion that those low in self-esteem have a stronger than normal reaction to rejection and disapproval. For the very socially anxious, the flight response, also known as repression and avoidance, tends to be the default position. This may not serve adult interests, of course, and suggests that those who are socially anxious to an abnormal degree may be doomed to others kinds of corollary risks as well.

I was recently reminded of this by a case of a marital break-up caused by an unwillingness to confront painful truths; she was too critical and bossy but he didn’t complain enough so eventually there was a split. To me as a bystander, the case highlighted a risk that the socially anxious run, namely, unwillingness to take feedback because it is read as criticism, and being avoidant and non assertive when it comes to confronting some one else’s objectionable behavior.Present pain is avoided but leads to much greater pain later. To me this is such a tragic and avoidable cost.

Below is a brief outline of the fundamentals of assertiveness. Assertiveness consists of three basic components:

1. The ability to to express feelings… for example, to accept and express anger, warmth and sexual feelings.

2. The ability to express beliefs and thoughts openly… being able to voice opinions, disagree and take a stand, even if it is emotionally hard to do and even if you have something to lose by doing so. (more…)

 
            Thanks to Kimberly Hurst for permission to use this Photo.

Hi, I am doing home schooling for PC tech and just wanted to let you guys know that I love it. I have always worked on my friends’ computers for nothing. It’s simply been a fun thing for me to do. Well, I made my first $100 bucks the other day. I don’t even have my diploma yet. My friend says her computer is working great. What a feeling!  I’ve also been helping out people by answering questions on the Internet in places like Yahoo answers—and learning a lot myself in the process.  I just wanted to let every one know it’s never to late to learn. I’ll be 60 years old in July!   

Sandra Marshall
PC Service and Repair Student
School of Information Technology

 
              Thanks to Gaetan Lee for permission to use this Photo.

What baffles me the most about a lot of business owners is how little thought they seem to put into their projects, yet many of them experience great success with their businesses. I’ve seen millionaires make multi-million dollar deals over a three minute cell phone call, pitched (and sold) website creatives to massive web development firms via brief face to face meetings. All of these observations have taught me one extremely valuable lesson: think less, do more.

The reason that someone might be able to sign a deal so quickly is because they know that it will come through as expected. A good business-person knows that they can’t handle every aspect of their business, so it becomes crucial to outsource whenever possible. I’ve noticed that my inability to trust others to do what they say they will do has saved me from being burned a few times, but it’s also prevented me from really taking advantage of an excellent opportunity or killer business move. I’ve read my fair share of “self help” business books. For legality reasons I’m not going to name any, but let me say that my father was neither rich nor poor, and that I am not very good at making deals.

Unfortunately, the books that I’ve read haven’t solved either one of those problems. Instead, what I noticed was that I was buying more books and learning a lot about how to get motivated without actually doing anything. (more…)